A major new initiative is aiming to change the way we understand women’s health—starting with the uterus.

The Fairbairn Menstruation Science Fund, launched by the MIT Health and Life Sciences Collaborative (MIT HEALS), is backed by a $10 million gift from philanthropists Emily and Malcolm Fairbairn.

The goal? To spark groundbreaking research into how the uterus affects the immune system—and how that might explain why women are more likely to suffer from certain chronic illnesses like endometriosis, Lyme disease, and lupus.

Why the uterus matters

The uterus isn’t just for reproduction—it’s a powerful organ that sheds and rebuilds itself every month. Scientists believe this “scarless healing” could unlock new insights into immune tolerance (like why the body accepts a fetus during pregnancy) and even help improve organ transplants.

But despite its importance, menstruation and uterine health have long been underfunded and misunderstood. That’s what this fund aims to change.

One of the most exciting parts of the initiative is the development of “organs on chips”—tiny devices made from living human cells that mimic how tissues behave in the body. These chips allow researchers to test drugs on realistic models of diseases like endometriosis, without relying on lab animals (which don’t menstruate and have different immune systems).

MIT professor Linda Griffith, who leads the Center for Gynepathology Research, has already built chips that replicate endometriosis lesions using cells from real patients. Her team is also working on a “living patient avatar” system—basically, personalized models that help predict how someone might respond to different treatments.

Lyme disease and the female immune system

Griffith is collaborating with scientist Michal “Mikki” Tal to explore how infections like Lyme disease might trigger long-term inflammation in women. They’re using advanced data analysis to identify key enzymes—like one called JNK—that could be targeted with new drugs.

Emily Fairbairn, who has personally battled both Lyme disease and endometriosis, says her own experience inspired the gift. “Women’s health is often dismissed or misdiagnosed,” she says. “We need science that truly reflects female biology.”

Beyond the lab, the fund will also support public outreach to reduce stigma around menstruation and raise awareness about conditions like abnormal bleeding, anemia, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Endometriosis alone affects 1 in 10 women and often goes undiagnosed for years.

Fairbairn hopes this fund will encourage other donors to step up, with a call for an additional $10 million in matching support. “This is about bold, fearless science,” she says. “And about giving women’s health the attention it deserves.”

SOURCE: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

See also:

There are sex-based differences in Lyme disease. Why this matters.

Lyme disease increases gynecological health risks in women